EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS - Chapter 3 - Verse 20

Verse 20. For our conversation is in heaven. That is, this is true of
all who are sincere Christians. It is a characteristic of Christians, in
contradistinction from those who are the "enemies of the cross,"
that their conversation is in heaven. The word "conversation"
we now apply almost entirely to oral discourse. It formerly, however,
meant conduct in general, and it is usually employed in this sense in
the Scriptures. See Barnes "Php 1:27, where the verb occurs, from
which the noun here is derived. The word here used politeuma —is found
nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means, any publicmeasure, administration of the state, the manner in which the affairs
of a state are administered; and then the state itself, the community,
commonwealth, those who are bound under the same laws, and associated in
the same society. Here it cannot mean that their "conversation," in the
sense of discourse or talking, was in heaven; nor that their
"conduct" was in heaven —for this would convey no idea, and the original
word does not demand it; but the idea is, that they were heavenlycitizens, or citizens of the heavenly world, in contradistinction
from a worldly community. They were governed by the laws of heaven; they
were a community associated as citizens of that world, and expecting
there to dwell. The idea is, that there are two great communities in the
universe—that of the world, and that of heaven; that governed by worldly
laws and institutions, and that by the laws of heaven; that associated
for worldly purposes, and that associated for heavenly or religious
purposes; and that the Christian belonged to the latter—the enemy of the
cross, though in the church, belonged to the former. Between true
Christians, therefore, and others, there is all the difference which
arises from belonging to different communities; being bound together for
different purposes; subject to different laws; and altogether under a
different administration. There is more difference between them
than there is between the subjects of two earthly governments.
Comp. See Barnes "Eph 2:6,19.

From whence also we look for the Saviour. From heaven. That is, it is
one of the characteristics of the Christian that he believes that the
Lord Jesus will return from heaven, and that he looks and waits for it.
Other men do not believe this, (2 Pe 3:4,) but the Christian
confidently expects it. His Saviour has been taken away from the earth,
and is now in heaven, but it is a great and standing article of his faith
that that same Saviour will again come, and take the believer to himself.
See Barnes "Joh 14:2, See Barnes "Joh 14:3";
See Barnes "1 Th 4:14.

This was the firm belief of the early
Christians, and this expectation with them was allowed to exert a
constant influence on their hearts and lives. It led them

(1.) to desire to be prepared for his coming;

(2.) to feel that earthly affairs were of little importance, as the scene
here was soon to close;

(3.) to live above the world, and in the desire of the appearing of the
Lord Jesus. This was one of the elementary doctrines of their faith, and
one of the means of producing deadness to the world among them; and among
the early Christians there was, perhaps, no doctrine that was more the
object of firm belief, and the ground of more delightful contemplation,
than that their ascended Master would return. In regard to the certainty
of their belief on this point, and the effect which it had on their
minds, see the following texts of the New Testament, Mt 24:42,44;
Lu 12:37; Joh 14:3; Ac 1:11; 1 Co 4:5; Col 3:4; 1 Th 2:19; 2 Th 2:1;
Heb 10:37; Jas 5:7,8; 1 Jo 3:2; Re 22:7,12,20.

It may be asked, with
great force, whether Christians in general have now any such expectation
of the second appearing of the Lord Jesus, or whether they have not
fallen into the dangerous error of prevailing unbelief, so that the
expectation of his coming is allowed to exert almost no influence
on the soul? In the passage before us, Paul says that it was one
of the distinct characteristics of Christians that they looked for
the coming of the Saviour from heaven. They believed that he would
return. They anticipated that important effects would follow to
them from his second coming. So we should look. There may be,
indeed, a difference of opinion about the time when he will come,
and about the question whether he will come to reign "literally"
on the earth—but the fact that Christ will return to our world is
common ground on which all Christians may meet, and is a fact
which should be allowed to exert its full influence on the heart.
It is a glorious truth—for what a sad world would this be, and
what a sad prospect would be before the Christian, if the Saviour
were never to come to raise his people from their graves, and to
gather his redeemed to himself! The fact that he will come is
identified with all our hopes. It is fitted to cheer us in trial; to
guard us in temptation; to make us dead to the world; to lead us
to keep the eye turned toward heaven.